An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) was reportedly raped by her new employer in Kuwait.
Victim “Taya” was dismissed from her job in 2017 after getting sick eight months into her employment.
“Pumasok po ako sa isang Kuwaiti tapos nag-trabaho po ako doon ng walong buwan. Pagkalipas ng walong buwan, nagkasakit po ako (I worked for a Kuwaiti for eight months. Then I got sick),” she said in an interview with GMA News.
The victim said she had no idea that she was already sold off for KWD 1,900 or around P370,000 after getting fired.
“Isang araw, basta na lang po ako pinaalis ng amo ko... hindi ko alam basta niya ako binigay sa bago kong amo. Binenta nya ako ng 1,900 KWD sa bago kong amo (One day my boss just fired me... I don't know but he just gave me to my new employer. He sold me for 1,900 KWD to my new boss),” she added..
After two weeks with her new employer, Taya said she was raped.
She said she asked for help from anyone on social media and even went to the government offices, including the embassy, the OWWA Regional Welfare Office (OWWA), and Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO).
Several days passed but Taya said no one came to help her.
“Ang ginawa ko tumakas ako... napunta ako sa shelter (What I did was, I escaped, I went to the shelter),” she added.
During her stay in the shelter, Taya found out that her employer was able to walk free even after an embassy lawyer vowed to bring justice to her.
GMA reported that Taya is already back in the Philippines and has been under the care of the lawyer of Jullebee Ranara’s recruitment agency.
The Embassy in Kuwait has not yet released a statement regarding the issue.